Barely 24 hours into the 48-hour deadline given by the Federal Government to all mining companies to leave mining sites in Zamfara State, mining companies have complied with government directives.
The Federal Government had cited security reasons for its decision to ban all mining activities in the state and ordered all mining companies to evacuate the mining areas within 48 hours, so as to fight bandits who have unleashed mayhem on the state in their struggle to control gold mining areas.
Kabir Mohammed Kankara, national president of Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), confirmed that miners have obeyed government directives and have started leaving the mining sites.
“Everything is under control and people have started complying,” he said.
According to him, the association applauded the development because it was in the interest of national security.
Dele Ayanleke, secretary, MAN, said the directive is a welcome development but added that government should have carried the association along before making the pronouncement.
“Government was supposed to carry us along before the ban,” he said.
He added that apart from the announcement made by the police, the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development which is directly in charge of mining activities in Nigeria, has not officially communicated with the miners.
He said the pronouncement further buttresses the association’s cry over the years that illegal miners have taken over mining activities in many parts of the country.
Kankara said it was unacceptable where foreigners could possibly connive with illegal miners to cheat Nigerians of their valuable minerals.
“A situation where foreigners might be conniving with some dubious Nigerians who are not known to us to siphon billion of naira in the form of mineral resources outside the country is not acceptable,” he said.
JOSEPH MAURICE OGU
